(East thing asked) Gu Ailing: How to "bridge" things with skiing?
China News Agency, Beijing, March 21, Question: Gu Ailing: How to "bridge" things with skiing?
Author Gao Chuyi
In the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese Olympic delegation won 9 gold medals, creating history.
18-year-old Gu Ailing participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time, winning 2 golds and 1 silver, becoming the youngest freestyle skiing Olympic gold medalist in history.
Recently, the Chinese team's female freestyle skier Gu Ailing said in an exclusive interview with China News Agency "Dongxiwen" that skiing brings a lot of happiness to herself, and she wants to share this happiness with the world.
Sports is a good way to promote cultural exchanges. I hope to make the world a better place through my love and expression.
The following is the interview transcript:
China News Agency reporter: At the Winter Olympics, you achieved two golds and one silver, becoming the youngest freestyle skiing Olympic gold medalist in history. What is your biggest impression of this Winter Olympics? How would you rate your performance?
Gu Ailing:
I feel very good. The best second is the moment when I do a 1620-degree turn to the left off axis. I have never done this before, including on trampolines and air mattresses.
The race was at the last minute and I knew I was on the podium when I chose the 1620 move.
But this is an opportunity for the world to see the core charm of this sport. I always say that I want to break my own boundaries, so I want to seize this opportunity to express my thoughts. Even if it does not succeed, I still think it is a The right choice is the happiest second.
Gu Ailing (middle) won the championship in the women's freestyle ski jumping event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Mao Jianjun
From February 4th to 18th, I was either training or playing every day.
Among them, I participated in 3 different events in 6 days. As the only female athlete in the freestyle skiing event of this Winter Olympics, I was very tired, but I paid more attention to the changes in my mind and mind. The Winter Olympics really Completely different from other competitions, the psychological resistance to pressure is a new test.
China News Agency reporter: You were admitted to Stanford University with excellent grades. How do you balance the two identities of a skier and a student?
Gu Ailing:
I was the only athlete who graduated from a normal high school.
I have regular classes every Monday to Friday, and I go skiing two days on weekends.
My mom drove me 4 hours to Lake Tahoe on Friday night and I just did my homework in the car and got everything done so I could be 100% skiing for the next two days.
I feel like doing anything every day is boring, so although I have less time, I am productive, which not only maintains my love for skiing, but also a great way to grow and help me lay the groundwork.
Last year, I graduated one year early. I was the first student in our high school to graduate early, and then I started preparing for the Winter Olympics.
Now that that goal has been achieved, I'm back to my old ways of skiing while taking lessons.
Gu Ailing won the gold medal in the women's U-shaped field skills event in freestyle skiing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhai Yujia
China News Service reporter: What are your expectations and plans for the upcoming university time?
Gu Ailing:
I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also a little nervous because I haven't attended classes for two years.
Most of them are listening to some scientific research courses online, or some learning materials that I am interested in.
And I keep journaling, writing essays, and I want to publish my own book in the future.
In university, I want to study international relations, as well as physics and writing, which are the three areas I am most interested in.
Planning is first of all to "build bridges". For example, for me now, different people can communicate in different ways through skiing. In the future, I hope to find some other ways to promote communication.
The second is physics. I think the stars and the universe are very interesting. I have been listening to related content and want to learn, but I will not do it professionally.
The third is writing. I have always liked writing, not only a diary. This year, my first article "I admit, I fell in love with fear" was published in the "New York Times" and was also translated into Chinese by netizens. Makes me very proud, so I also want to learn to write.
China News Agency reporter: You have been exposed to skiing since you were a child due to the influence of your mother, and grew up in a multicultural family environment. How do you think the different cultural backgrounds of China and the United States have influenced and helped your growth?
Gu Ailing:
The two cultures have a great influence and help on me.
I remember when I was a child, I went to a cram school in Beijing during the summer vacation. I took a taxi to go to class. I called the driver and said to wait for him at the southwest intersection. When the car arrived, I waved my hand vigorously, but the car did not stop.
I called the driver again and he said he didn't see me.
This happened a few times, and then I found out that maybe the driver looked at me like a foreigner while I was talking on the phone, they thought I was a Chinese girl.
After that, when I take a taxi again, I will tell the driver in advance that I may look like a foreigner, and I must stop if they see me waving.
These subtle cultural differences made me realize who I am at a very young age. I have learned from both Chinese and American cultures, and I have finally integrated the two cultures into myself, which has improved my thinking and learning ability. .
I see people doing different things, wearing different clothes, eating different foods, and it's nice.
I especially like to eat Chinese dumplings, and I also like to eat hamburgers in the United States, so it is best to like and appreciate different cultures.
Gu Ailing wears a golden dragon pattern costume to participate in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Freestyle Skiing Women's Big Jump Qualifying Tournament.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Mao Jianjun
In China, I received a very good education. My grandmother taught me multiplication formulas since I was a child. Later, I went to a cram school and made many friends.
The United States is the beginning of my sports career. I grew up running in the United States and learned to ride horses in China.
I especially like sports, so every time I go back to China during the summer vacation, I try to do it again.
Later, I also organized the girls in the math class to play basketball at night. They also enjoyed it very much. They also helped me learn Chinese. These are all cultural exchanges.
China News Service reporter: You mentioned before that the spirit of sports knows no borders. How do you think sports can bring the world closer and let different cultures understand each other?
Gu Ailing:
This is always the biggest goal.
I have always said that sports have no boundaries, not national boundaries, but human boundaries. Sports are a good way to promote cultural exchanges.
Last year, I skied and videotaped with several members of a ski brand from the United States, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and other countries.
Seven or eight girls of us live together and share the culture and food of different countries with each other.
On the first night I made dumplings for everyone.
I have been making dumplings with my grandmother since I was a child. I can make dumplings, but I have never made the noodles myself, so I called my grandmother to ask about the ratio, how much water and how much noodles to put.
I went to the supermarket to buy a lot of leeks again.
Finally, take everyone to learn to pack together, like a big family.
In the end, everyone wrapped up different shapes and laughed while playing.
Gu Ailing eats a box of leeks after the 2022 Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics freestyle skiing women's slope obstacle course qualifying competition.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhai Yujia
Later, a friend from Norway told me that she learned Chinese culture through a dumpling and will never forget that moment.
A friend in Switzerland also called me and asked me how to make dumpling noodles, and she also wanted to share it with her friends and family.
I said you can just rely on your feelings, and the dumplings they made in the end were also very nice.
A lot of people think that skiing is over with a somersault, but that's not the case. We have a deeper connection through skiing and sports, which can really change our lives.
I also like to spread Chinese culture, because many people don’t know much about it, and they all want to learn and appreciate it, but they just don’t know how to do it.
So making them better through me also brings me a lot of joy.
Sharing is something everyone loves to do.
China News Service reporter: Will you always insist on your love and expression to convey the Olympic spirit to the world in the future?
Gu Ailing:
If everyone can make the world a little better, the world will be much better.
I am now looking for the happiest moments in my life, doing the things I love the most, and making life meaningful and distinctive.
For me, skiing has brought me a lot of growth, not just falling down and getting back up, it's something that all life needs to learn.
Everyone should express in their own style, have their own creativity, do these things well in the process of enjoying nature, promote their own growth, not only make the body stronger, but also know themselves from the mind and heart.
Gu Ailing won the silver medal in the women's slope obstacle course in freestyle skiing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Tomita
I'm very happy that I got into skiing at a young age, it brings me a lot of joy, so I want to share my joy and state of mind with the world.
I have had two cultures, Chinese and American, since I was a child. I want to promote the exchange of different cultures from skiing. This is my current goal and passion, and I hope to make the world a better place.
(over)
Interviewee Profile:
Gu Ailing is a Chinese women's freestyle skier.
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Freestyle Skiing Women's Grand Jump Champion, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Women's Freestyle Skiing Slope Obstacle Skills Silver Medal, and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Women's Freestyle Skiing Women's U-shaped Field Skills Gold Winner.
The youngest freestyle skiing Olympic gold medalist in history, and the only female athlete in the freestyle skiing event at this Winter Olympics who has reached three finals.
The only female freestyle skier to win a "Grand Slam" (World Cup, xgames, World Championships and Olympics).
The first Olympic free skiing gold medal and medalist in Chinese history.